Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant was yesterday ordered to pay €1,000 in libel damages after a court ruled that parts of a public speech he made in 2007, which was reported in the media, were libellous to Michael Seychell.
Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna said that Mr Seychell, a member of the board of Public Broadcasting Services, had felt libelled when Dr Sant said he had taken part in PBS board meetings when decisions concerning a company run by his daughter were taken.
Mr Seychell told the court he had been a PBS board member since 2003.
His daughter, Diane, was married to Pierre Portelli who was involved in a company called Water Melon Communications Ltd. This company produced television programmes including L-ispjun. When the PBS board was discussing this programme in the course of a meeting about the station’s schedule of programmes, Mr Seychell had declared his possible conflict of interest in the matter, he told the court.
He had offered not to take part in the meeting and had in fact left the board room. But Dr Sant had publicly declared that Mr Seychell had remained in the room and had participated in the discussions.
Mr Seychell’s testimony was corroborated by other members of the PBS board. Dr Sant did not produce any evidence.
Magistrate Apap Bologna found in favour of Mr Seychell and ordered Dr Sant to pay him €1,000 in libel damages.